Once upon a time in a kingdom long ago, fearsome knights ruled a powerful kingdom. Knights so skilled in the ways of war that no one dared to challenge them— not even the Orkmen. As a result, surfs could tend the land of the barons without fear of treachery. The knights services enabled the kingdom to be the richest and most fruitful in the realm.
But after a time, there arose a blasphemer in the kingdom saying, “The King pretends to be kind and caring, to have our best interests at heart, but in truth, we are nothing more than his slaves. We protect his kingdom with OUR might, WE are the ones who set food on his table. Without us the King would be nothing.”
And so with this, a great controversy was born in the heart of the kingdom. The land whispered, “Does the King really have our best interests at heart? Or does he just use us to increase his glory? Surely we would be better off if we didn’t have to provide food for his table!” With this deceptiveness and with the help of the Orkmen, the blasphemer incited a great battle against the King for control of the kingdom. The insurrectionists were in time turned away, but many knights of the kingdom, in dismay and in doubt about the King’s intentions, took off their armor and chose to live in the wood. The kingdom fell into dysfunction and the King retreated to another country.
After that time cynicism grew in the land and each man sought after his own good. Evil prevailed and marauders preyed upon the weak. The great knights lived in seclusion looking after their own kind. After living this way for many years, one evening the knights began to discuss why the kingdom was destroyed.
One said, it was because of the heart of the King. Another said, no it was the blasphemer. And so in hot debate they argued the reason for the fallen kingdom, but could come to no conclusion.
And so in desperation they appealed to God for an answer to their problem. Then, appearing immediately before them, to their surprise, was their King. He was arrayed in full armor. He held his shield with crest prevalent so all could see. “You allowed deception to enter your hearts. You did not protect your heart from the lies of the blasphemer, as a result you lost faith in the kingdom. You lost faith in me. So I say to you now, lift up your shields, cast out all deception and regain the kingdom.”
And so it was, the blasphemer was slain, as well as the Orkmen. The knights did regain the kingdom and with it their trust in the King. With great deeds they became famous and even more powerful than before. They became known as the Knights of the Way— Keepers of the Armor of God.